RFQ Alerts in South Africa: How Government Request-for-Quotation Works and Why Speed Matters (2026)

What is an RFQ (Request for Quotation) in South African government procurement?

An RFQ is the method an organ of state uses to source quotes for lower-value, clearly-defined goods or services where price is the primary thing being compared. Under the supply chain management framework that currently applies (set out in National Treasury / OCPO instructions under the PFMA and MFMA), procurement is split into value bands. Under PFMA SCM Instruction No. 02 of 2021/22, the bands are: petty cash up to R2,000; written price quotations (the RFQ band) above R2,000 and up to R1 million; and open competitive bidding (a full tender) for anything above R1 million — all amounts inclusive of all applicable taxes. The buyer issues an RFQ document setting out exactly what it needs, suppliers submit a price (inclusive of VAT and all costs), and the lowest compliant price usually wins, subject to preference-point scoring. Where preference points apply (procurement above R30,000), the 80/20 system is used — 80 points for price and 20 for B-BBEE and other specific goals — because RFQ values fall well under the R50 million ceiling at which the 90/10 system takes over. These rand thresholds are set by National Treasury and can be updated, so confirm the current figures on the OCPO website before relying on a specific number.

How is an RFQ different from a full tender or competitive bid?

The core difference is value, complexity and time. A full competitive bid (generally for spend above R1 million) requires a complete bid pack — technical proposal, company documents, sometimes a compulsory briefing session — is evaluated on functionality and price-plus-preference, and is advertised for a longer minimum period to give suppliers time to prepare. An RFQ is for simpler, lower-value needs (up to R1 million): the requirement is already well defined, so the buyer mostly wants a competitive price, the documentation is light, and the open period is short. In practice that means a tender might be advertised for several weeks, while an RFQ may close within days. RFQs are also frequently sourced from a limited pool of suppliers already registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD), rather than always being broadly advertised.

Why do government RFQs close so fast — often within days?

Because RFQs cover routine, lower-value, well-understood purchases, the regulations do not require the long advertising periods that apply to large competitive bids. The buyer already knows what it wants and simply needs current prices, so it sets a short response window — commonly only a few working days, and sometimes barely a week. Some RFQs are not broadly advertised at all: the buyer pulls qualifying suppliers directly from the CSD and invites them to quote. The practical effect for an SME is that if you are not watching the right portal or website every single day, an RFQ can open and close before you ever see it. That short window is why seeing an RFQ early matters as much as being eligible to quote.

Where are government RFQs published in South Africa?

The main central channel is the National Treasury eTender Publication Portal at etenders.gov.za, which lists Requests for Quotation alongside Requests for Bid, Requests for Proposal and other notices, and lets you filter by category, province, organ of state and closing date, and submit electronically (eSubmission) where supported. However, the eTenders portal does not capture everything. Many RFQs appear only on the individual website of the department, municipality, provincial treasury or state-owned entity that issued them, in the weekly Government Tender Bulletin, or are sent directly to CSD-registered suppliers by email. This fragmentation across many separate sources is the practical reason SMEs miss opportunities — there is no single place where every RFQ in the country reliably lands.

What do I need in place before I can respond to a government RFQ?

At minimum you must be registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) at csd.gov.za. CSD registration is free, electronic and mandatory for anyone wanting to do business with government; once registered you receive a unique supplier number, and your details are verified against SARS, the CIPC and the Department of Home Affairs. You also need to be tax compliant: SARS no longer issues the old paper Tax Clearance Certificate, so you obtain a Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN through SARS eFiling, which the buyer uses to verify your status online. Where preference points apply, you will also need a B-BBEE certificate or, for an Exempted Micro Enterprise (and a black-owned Qualifying Small Enterprise), a sworn B-BBEE affidavit. If you are quoting on construction works, you generally also need to be registered on the CIDB Register of Contractors (cidb.org.za), which grades contractors from 1 to 9 by financial and works capability. Confirm the current CIDB grade rand bands and registration steps on the official CIDB site, as they are set and updated by the CIDB.

How can SMEs keep up with RFQs that close so quickly?

Because RFQs are scattered across many sources and close quickly, the main bottleneck for most SMEs is awareness rather than capability. There are two common approaches: checking the eTenders portal and the relevant department, municipal and entity websites manually every day, or using a monitoring or alert tool that watches those channels and flags new RFQs matching the categories, keywords and provinces a business cares about. Either way the aim is the same — catching an RFQ on day one of a short window leaves enough time to read the requirement, confirm your CSD registration and tax compliance status, prepare a priced quote and submit before the deadline. Monitoring does not replace the work of quoting or your eligibility documents; it only helps ensure a short-lived opportunity is not missed.

Is the new Public Procurement Act changing how RFQs work in 2026?

A major reform is underway but not yet fully in effect. The Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024 was assented to in July 2024, and National Treasury published draft regulations under it for public comment on 16 April 2026; the comment period for the draft General Public Procurement Regulations was extended to 15 July 2026. The Act is being brought into operation by presidential proclamation, so until the relevant provisions and final regulations take effect, the existing PFMA/MFMA supply chain management framework — including the current quotation and tender thresholds described above — still governs how RFQs are run. Suppliers should keep watching the National Treasury and OCPO websites, because thresholds, processes and the rules on preference and registration may change as the new framework comes into force.

Step by step

1. Register on the CSD. Self-register your business on the Central Supplier Database at csd.gov.za. It is free and mandatory, and gives you the unique supplier number government uses to identify and verify you.
2. Get your compliance documents ready. Make sure you are tax compliant via your Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN on SARS eFiling, and keep your B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit and (for construction) your CIDB registration up to date so you can quote without delay.
3. Monitor where RFQs are published. Watch the National Treasury eTenders portal at etenders.gov.za plus the websites of the departments, municipalities and entities you want to supply, or use a monitoring/alert tool to track them, since RFQs close fast.
4. Read the RFQ requirement carefully. Download the RFQ document and confirm the exact specification, quantities, delivery terms, mandatory returnable documents, the closing date and time, and how the quote must be submitted (electronically via the portal or otherwise).
5. Prepare a compliant, priced quote. Quote a price inclusive of VAT and all applicable costs, complete every required form, and double-check you meet each compliance condition. A non-compliant quote is disqualified regardless of price.
6. Submit before the deadline. Submit your quotation through the required channel well before the stated closing date and time. Late submissions are not accepted, and RFQ windows are often only a few days long.

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